Frame structure



M. ROSEMAN FRAME STRUCTURE May 30, 1961 Filed Dec. 30, 1960 FIG.2

26 2 ,pzo 0 INVENTOR MILTON ROSEMAN it ill ATTORNEY United States PatentFRAlVlE STRUCTURE Milton Roseman, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Lok-Titellndlstries, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Mary- Filed Dec. 30,1960, Ser. No. 79,723

12 Claims. (11. 40-156) This invention relates to a frame particularlywell suited for the construction of advertising signs, but alsoapplicable to a wide variety of uses involving the supporting of panels.The invention relates to certain improvements over the disclosure ofapplication Serial No. 12,602, and which on February 7, 1961, issued asPatent No. 2,970,397, filed March 3, 1960, of which this application isa continuation-in-part.

Prior to the invention disclosed in the earlier application referred to,it has been necessary to stock a large number of sizes of extrusions toaccommodate various thicknesses of sign faces and panels, or in thealternative, it has been necessary to construct each frame to suit thethickness of the sign face or panel used in a particular installation.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a framehaving interconnected opposed peripheral elements, each of the elementscomprising a channel member having a web, an outer flange extending fromthe surface of the web, a plurality of pairs of anchoring flangesextending from the surface, and an adjustable inner flange comprising apair of flexible resilient legs having proximate ends secured togetherby a common web and free ends engaging the anchoring flanges.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a frame moldingcomprising a first member having a web and an outer flange extendingfrom a surface of the web, a plurality of anchoring flanges extendingfrom the surface defining a plurality of pairs of convergent bearingsurfaces, and an adjustable inner flange comprising a pair of flexibleresilient legs having proximate ends secured together by a common weband free ends engageable with the pairs of bearing surfaces selectivelyto adapt the molding to panels of different thicknesses.

The inner flange preferably has a cross section symmetrical with respectto an axis perpendicular to the web and its legs are preferablyidentical. The legs are preferably provided with intermediate externalenlargements for engagement with a panel and the free ends of the legspreferably contain notches complementing the anchoring flanges. Theanchoring flanges and the free ends of the legs preferably havecomplementary inclined surfaces.

By virtue of the improved structure, variations in panel thicknesses arereadily compensated, assembly and disassembly can be eifected easily andrapidly, and the adjustable flange can be oriented in either of itspossible positions, eliminating the possibility of error in assembly.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow from adescription of the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a sign incorporating the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along line 22 of Fig. l on anenlarged scale, depicting the channel member only;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view depicting the adjustable innerflange on a further enlarged scale;

ice

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on a different scaledepicting the flanges in one relative spacing;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation similar to that of Fig. 4showing another relative arrangement of the flanges; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevation similar to those of Figs. 4and 5 showing a further relative arrangement of the flanges toaccommodate a thicker panel.

. The sign 10 depicted in Fig. 1 comprises a transparent or translucentpanel 12 mounted in a frame composed of channel members 14 mitered attheir ends in a manner which is conventional in the art. 7

As depicted in Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 6, each channel member 14 comprises aweb '16 having an upper surface 18 and a lower surface 20. Each channelmember 14 terminates in outer flanges 22 extending from the upper.surface of the web 16 and as shown, these flanges are integral with theWeb. Also projecting from the upper surface 18 of the Web 16, there area plurality of pairs of anchoring flanges 24, 24; 26, 26; and 28, 28;the flanges constituting a pair being similary designated. As

' will be evident from Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6, the flanges constantiallyU-shaped cross section, with free ends containing notches =38 defininginclined bearing surfaces 40 and 42 complementing the surfaces providedby the anchoring :flanges 24, 26 and 28. Each o f these legs is providedwith an intermediate external enlargement 44 providing bearing surfacesfor panels of the various thicknesses depicted in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 aspanels 46, 48 and 50 respectively. Because of the flexible and resilientnature of the adjustable inner flange 32, it can be snapped intoposition with respect to the several pairs of flanges and removedtherefrom by flexing the legs relative to one another. Moreover, thisflexibility permits the legs to yield at a sufficient distance from theweb of the channel member to accommodate readily the variations inthickness of panels having variations from conventional standardthicknesses, thus maintaining the panels in firm abutment with the outerand inner flanges without undesirable play.

The free ends of the legs 34, as shown in Fig. 3 are provided witharcuate leading edges 52 which will cooperate With the chamfers 30 ofthe anchoring flanges in the assembly and disassembly operations. Thedistance between the legs 34 of the adjustable inner flange 32 isinitially somewhat greater than the spacing between the anchoringflanges constituting a pair, rendering it necessary to flex the legs tointroduce them between the pairs of anchoring flanges to assure snugengagement at all times. It will be evident from the showing of Fig. 2that the channel construction adapts itself to double faced signs orcomparable panels of other types. The intermediate flanges 54 serve toreinforce the structure and may be used for the attachment of variousaccessories conventionally employed in the illumination of signs.

As will be evident, the configurations of the members make it possibleto extrude them in any lengths desired, contributing to the relativelylow cost and excellent finish characterizing this mode of forming.

In Fig. 4 the adjustable flange 32 assumes its most proximate positionwith respect to the outer flange 22 to support the relatively thin signface of a panel 46 and the legs 34 are in this case introduced betweenthe pair of anchoring flanges 24, 24.

In Fig. 5 the adjustable flange 32 assumes its intermediate positionwherein the legs 34 are received between a pair of anchoring flanges 26,26 to support a sign face or panel 48 of intermediate thickness.

In Fig. 6 the adjustable flange 32 has been adjusted to its remoteposition relative to the outer flange 22, the legs 34 occupying aposition between the remote pair of anchoring flanges 28, 28, toaccommodate a relatively thick sign face or panel 50.

Inasmuch as the adjustable inner flange is symmetrical with respect toan axis perpendicular to its web 36, it will be clear that theadjustable flange can be inserted in either of two possible positionsindiscriminately, simplifying assembly and reducing the element of errorto a minimum.

Whereas only one specific form of the invention has been described withreference to the accompanying drawings, those variations suggestedthereover to those skilled in the art are contemplated by the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A frame having interconnected opposed peripheral elements, each ofsaid elements comprising a channel member having a web, an outer flangeextending from a surface of said web, a plurality of pairs of anchoringflanges extending from said surface, and an adjustable inner flangehaving a substantially symmetrical cross section comprising a pair offlexible resilient legs having proximate ends secured together by acommon web and free ends engaging said anchoring flanges.

2. A panel frame according to claim 1 wherein said inner flange has across section symmetrical with respect to an axis perpendicular to saidweb.

3. A panel frame according to claim 1 wherein said legs are identical.

4. A panel frame according to claim 1 wherein said legs are providedwith intermediate external enlargements for engagement with a panel.

5. A panel frame according to claim 1 wherein the free ends of said legscontain notches complementing said anchoring flanges.

6. A panel frame according to claim 1 wherein said anchoring flanges andthe free ends of said legs have complementary inclined surfaces.

7. A frame molding comprising a first member having a web and an outerflange extending from a surface of said web, a plurality of anchoringflanges extending from said surface defining a plurality of pairs ofconvergent bearing surfaces, and an adjustable inner flange having asubstantially symmetrical cross section comprising a pair of flexibleresilient legs having proximate ends secured together by a common weband free ends engageable with said pairs of bearing surfaces selectivelyto adapt said molding to panels of different thicknesses.

8. A frame molding according to claim 7 wherein said inner flange has across section symmetrical with respect to an axis perpendicular to saidWeb.

9. A frame molding according to claim 7 wherein said legs are identical.

10. A frame molding according to claim 7 wherein said legs are providedwith intermediate external enlargements for engagement with a panel.

11. A frame molding according to claim 7 wherein the free ends of saidlegs contain notches complementing said anchoring flanges.

12. A frame molding according to claim 7 wherein said anchoring flangesand the free ends of said legs have complementary inclined surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,970,397 Roseman Feb. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,935 Great BritainDec. 5, 1944 1,193,404 France Apr. 27, 1959

